Guess what guys! I'm finally 19! To be honest, I don't feel different at all. I've been waiting for this day for... 19 years... But I still feel like the same old Kristen! Even though I don't feel a difference now that I'm 19, I still had a phenomenal birthday. From the moment I woke up, to the moment I go to bed, I'm surrounded by people I love. I can't emphasize enough how appreciated and loved I feel. I can't ever thank God enough for blessing me with so many extraordinary people. Every person I interacted with today made my day special in their own way. I want to thank everybody I saw today! I really love every single one of you... I want you to know this! It might be kind of awkward if I go up to you guys and just say "I love you." But, I'm actually considering doing this now just because I want you all to know how much you mean to me!
Anyways, today, I'm going to talk about a parable in the book of Luke. Many of you probably know this parable, but I'm going to discuss it today and what it personally means to me. The parable is in Luke 10, and it talks about the Good Samaritan. So, to quickly summarize, there is a Jewish man who is beaten up by bandits, stripped, and left on the side of the road. A priest passes by, and leaves him there. Then, a Temple assistant passes by, and leaves him there. Finally, a Samaritan comes along and soothes the Jewish man's wounds with olive oil and wine and bandages them. He then puts the man on his own donkey and takes him to an inn. He then tells the innkeeper he will pay for the man.
Jesus told this parable to a man who asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?"
I looked up this parable on the internet, and I found some interesting information. (To me anyways.) A theory on why the priest passed by without aiding the Jewish man was because of the risk they would make if they helped him. The consequences they faced were being defiled. If the priest was defiled, he would not be able to collect or distribute, and his family and servants would suffer the same consequences as him.
The temple assistant was suspected to have left the man alone because if he did help him, and he was dead, then he might be accused of being guilty of this deed if somebody saw them with the body. If this occurred, then the temple assistant would be at risk. But isn't it interesting that the Samaritan, who was at the same risk as the priest and temple assistant, still took this risk, and loved his neighbor?
Imagine if we could all be the same as the Samaritan. I know that it's personally hard for me to love my neighbors. People who I don't get along with very well are hard to take care of; it's hard for me to love them unconditionally, or even love them at all. I struggle, because I know I'm supposed to love my neighbor as I love myself, but I so often find myself treating my neighbor in ways I would never want myself to be treated. When there are people I conflict with, I find myself throwing harsh words at them. I find myself feeling bitterness towards them. But even if they do these things to me, that doesn't mean I am allowed to act this way towards them.
I'm trying my very best to love my friends, and to love my enemies. I pray for those who hurt me. I pray that they will find God, and that they will be able to experience His glory! I encourage you to pray for your enemies so that they may find God; pray that they may experience His love.
Thanks for reading my blog on this beautiful day :) Here's the song I listened to while writing this blog today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCYqC1cxXD8
-kjoosaurus out!
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